Petition to repeal the Mandatory Sentencing Laws
in the Northern Territory
Please read the following letter and, if you are in agreement with it, create an email of it (just copy and paste) add your name and pass on widely - follow the instructions given at the end of the email.
Or you could write it out as hard copy and send a letter to the appropriate people. Hand written letters in your own words have much greater impact I am told.
We, the undersigned Australians, request that the Northern Territory Government repeal the Mandatory Sentencing of Juvenile Offenders Bill 1999 immediately.
We believe the recent death of a fifteen year old Aboriginal boy who was being detained in Darwin under the Territory's mandatory sentencing laws was avoidable.
We believe the Mandatory Sentencing of Juvenile Offenders Bill 1999 is discriminatory, disrespectful, morally abhorrent, racist and unjust. The Mandatory Sentencing Bill takes the responsibility for law and order away from the local custodians of the law in each Aboriginal community in the Territory.
Despite the Royal Commission's Inquiry into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and 339 recommendations later, Aboriginal people are still 14 times more likely to be imprisoned than non-Aboriginal Australians. In the Northern Territory, 72.8 per cent of the prison population is Aboriginal. This compares with 33.1% in Western Australia and 21.6% in Queensland.
Does the Northern Territory Government genuinely believe that mandatory sentencing laws are making a real difference?
There is a better way.
We believe the boy's local community and family could have undertaken a more appropriate action under customary law and the young boy would probably still be alive today.
We urge you to consider enabling and supporting Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory to implement their own laws as responsible, respectful and valid, ways of dealing with offensive law breaking behaviour.
Yours sincerely,
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Please send this email in its entirety to all Australians that you think will support the petition.
- To avoid too many quotation marks, please copy the text and paste it into a new email letter and send to as many people as you can.
- Before you send it, add your name email address at the bottom of the list.
- If, once you have added your name and email address, you are the 20th person to sign the petition, please send it to the entire legislative assembly in the Northern Territory (email addresses are below).
- Then delete the first 20 names and sent it to you own recipients.
- A short personal message from you to some people on the legislative list will also demand a response.
- Thank your for you support on this important issue - we have
the technology - lets use it to move it and make a difference!
TO:
1. Hon Peter Adamson MLA
peter.adamson@nt.gov.au
2. Mr. John Leonard
john.ahkit@nt.gov.au
3. Mr. Stephen John
steve.balch@nt.gov.au
4. The Hon. Timothy Denney
tim.baldwin@nt.gov.au
5. The Hon. Loraine Margaret
electorate.braham@nt.gov.au
6. Denis Gabriel
denis.burke@nt.gov.au
7. Hon. Stephen
stephen.dunham@nt.gov.au
8. Mr Johan Wessel
john.elferink@nt.gov.au
9. Mr Stephen Paul
steve.hatton@nt.gov.au
10. Mr Paul Raymond
paul.henderson@nt.gov.au
11. Mrs. Margaret Anne
maggie.hickey@nt.gov.au
12. Dr. Richard Soon Huat
richard.lim@nt.gov.au
13. Hon. Christopher Dennis
chris.lugg@nt.gov.au
14. Hon. Daryl William
daryl.manzie@nt.gov.au
15. Ms. Clare Majella
electorate.martin@nt.gov.au
16. Hon. Terence Robert
electorate.mccarthy@nt.gov.au
17. Mr Terrence Kennedy
terry.mills@nt.gov.au
18. Mr. Philip Anthony
electorate.mitchell@nt.gov.au
19. Hon. Michael James
mick.palmer@nt.gov.au
20. Hon. Eric Houguet
electorate.poole@nt.gov.au
21. Hon. Michael Anthony
electorate.reed@nt.gov.au
22. Mr. Maurice Joseph
electorate.rioli@nt.gov.au
23. Mr Sydney James
electorate.stirling@nt.gov.au
24. QC, The Hon. Shane Leslie
shane.stone@nt.gov.au
25. Mr. Peter Howard
electorate.toyne@nt.gov.au